Contact Us

Painted Hills

Keep the Painted Hills Beautiful!

Visiting the Painted Hills

The Painted Hills Unit is located about 9 miles northwest of the town of Mitchell, Oregon. Distinguished by varied stripes of red, tan, orange, and black, this area preserves a sequence of past climate change. The Painted Hills Unit also contains a diverse assemblage of leaf fossils aging 39-30 million years old called the Bridge Creek Flora, and a small outcropping of rock containing animal fossils from 30-27 million years ago.

Lighting throughout the day combined with moisture content can dramatically affect the appearance of the hills.

NPS Photos

The yellows, golds, blacks, and reds of the Painted Hills are beautiful at all times of the day, but are best lit for photography in the late afternoon. Changing light and moisture levels drastically affect the tones and hues visible in the hills. The seasons can also change the look of the Painted Hills radically. Spring often brings yellow wildflowers that grow in open areas and sometime even in the ripples of the hills. Winter can blanket the hills in a white coat, concealing the vibrant hues until the snow melts, revealing interspersed stripes of gold and red.

Stormy skies above the Painted Hills

NPS photo / Scott Ritner

Unit Features:

Trails varying in length from 0.25 mile to 1.3 miles.

Picnic Area

Restroom Facilities

Drinking water typically available May - September

Wildflowers typically bloom April- May.

Trails at the Painted Hills Unit

Map of the Painted Hills depicting the trail locations, as well as the picnic area.

NPS map

The Painted Hills Unit has a total of five trails, each with their own parking area. Directional signs along Bear Creek Road point the way to each trailhead. (Note: The Red Scar Knoll Trail is called Red Hill on the road signs.) RVs and other large vehicles are not recommended past the Painted Hills Overlook.

The Carroll Rim Trail is 1.6 miles / 2.6 km roundtrip. The trail climbs over 400 feet (120 m) of elevation to a panorama view of the Painted Hills. Overflow parking is available at the Painted Hills Overlook.

The Painted Hills Overlook Trail is 0.5 mile / 0.8 km roundtrip. This fairly level trail follows an old road and offers further distinctive views of the Painted Hills.

The Painted Cove Trail is 0.25 mile / 0.4 km roundtrip. The Painted Cove is an amazing color palette of vibrant rocks. A portion of this trail features a level boardwalk to cross over sensitive soils.

The Leaf Hill Trail is 0.25 mile / 0.4 km roundtrip. Leaf Hill has been extensively excavated and studied by paleontologists. Interpretive signs along the trail explain more of its history.

The Red Scar Knoll Trail is 0.25 mile / 0.4 km roundtrip. This mostly level trail leads to a hill of bright yellow and red clays. This trailhead is called Red Hill on the road signs.